Thursday, August 27, 2009

Last year I blogged about a bit of weirdness next door in Kentucky, which by law was required to acknowledge that:

[t]he safety and security of the Commonwealth cannot be achieved apart from reliance upon Almighty God.

I agreed with the local lawyer suing the state that the law was "breathtakingly unconstitutional," but took issue with the atheist plaintiffs seeking monetary damages for "mental pain and anguish." Now it looks like a state judge agrees (via PZ):

Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate ruled that the law violated the First Amendment’s protection against the establishment of a state religion. Homeland Security officials have been required for three years to credit 'Almighty God' in their official reports and post a plaque with similar language at the state’s Emergency Operations Center in Frankfort.

'Even assuming that most of this nation’s citizens have historically depended upon God by choice for their protection, this does not give the General Assembly the right to force citizens to do so now,' Wingate wrote.

Good call. The story doesn't make any mention of money damages, so I'm assuming those fell by the wayside. Also a good call. Looks like the Kentucky AG is deciding whether to waste the money on an almost certainly futile appeal. In this economy, should be a no brainer.

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NOTE: Nothing on this blog should be considered legal advice. If you want that, you'll have to get the United States government to pay for it. I'm just ranting.

ANOTHER NOTE: It should go without saying that the opinions I opine on this blog are not endorsed by, adopted by, or in any way reflective of my employer, co-workers, friends, enemies, family members, girlfriend, or random woodland creatures. Don't blame them, please.